If we have been used to dealing with the shaky communication of the Xbox branch for many years, we must admit that this year 2024 is undoubtedly the worst period in this area. After announcing nearly 2,000 layoffs in Januaryand have explain the end of the exclusivity policy with the arrivals of Sea of Thieves and Grounded, among others, among the competition, this week was once again marked by a decision difficult to understand for many observers.
Indeed, Microsoft has decided to lighten Bethesda Softworks by closing four studios, including Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks. If the first undoubtedly paid a high price for the bad reviews linked to Redfall, it was very difficult to understand why the Japanese studio was entitled to the same treatment. While the developers' leak after Mikami's departure was denied by people who worked for the studio, it was ultimately the excuse of too complicated management from a studio located on a continent where Microsoft has little presence which seems to be surfacing.
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A difficult decision to accept despite everything, and even more so after the intervention of Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, who justified the current policy to certain employees. According to him, Microsoft must focus on “smaller productions, capable of providing a good image and winning awards”. This is good, HiFi Rush totally fits into this box, a game imagined by… the Tango Gameworks studio which has just been closed by Microsoft.
Besides this clumsy justification, it is Microsoft's communication in general which is disastrous. The American manufacturer has in fact found nothing better than to announce a new “Fire Vapor” controller, less than an hour after the announcement of the closure of the studios. Worse, the marketing around the controller asked players to “set it on fire”, at the very moment when Microsoft gives the impression of burning down part of the house. We finish with Aaron Greenberg who, without leaving a public message for the thanked teamsquickly switched to the marketing strategy that will be carried out for Hellblade 2. A timing that gives food for thought here too, and which above all gives the image of a company with little empathy.
Still, it is with sadness that we learned of the closure of these studios, and it is with great hope that we hope that each laid-off employee will be able to bounce back quickly. For the rest, let's hope that Microsoft reviews its strategy in the coming months, but unfortunately this is not what the rumors in the corridor seem to say.